English

There are seven different
ways to cook eggplant.
The first recipe is Elena’s specialty.
She cuts it into bite-sized pieces
and serves it for supper,
And this meal is called a dish of eggplant.

My Uncle, Cerasi, likes to drink wine,
Lots of it;
He feels fine.

The second one who makes it
is the sexton’s wife;
She hollows it out and fills it with herbs.
This meal is called
a dish of dolma.

The third one who makes it
is my cousin, Ester di Chiote.
She hollows it out and fills it with rice.
This meal is called
a dish of almondrote.
The alburnia is a tasty recipe
both for its color and aroma.
Come, let’s make a supper to enjoy together,
Before the worm comes
and takes the flavor away.

On the tables at the feasts
the jandrajo always shines.
We make little pastries out of it,
They shine of the plates
waiting to be served
with hard-boiled eggs.

The maljasina salad is rich and tasty.
My neighbor makes it with a lot olive oil.
It’s served with
left-over hen.

The seventh way it’s made
is the best and most exquisite.
Filisti, the neighbor’s daughter, makes it.
She puts it in the oven
in an open dish with oil and pepper,
And they call it a meyina.

Description

The origin of this song is not known, though we first heard it on a recording by the Spanish singer, María Salgado. Eggplants came to Europe from the Arab world, but Sephardic Jews are credited with having popularized (and developed many ways of cooking) them in southern Europe.

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“Your per­for­mance to a large and enthu­si­as­tic audi­ence was mov­ing, lyri­cal, and mem­o­rable. ...Your mix of songs Flory taught you and your own work was beau­ti­fully inspir­ing.“
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